There's been a strange, but welcome resurgence of noir and pulp style comics in the past couple years. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have had a lot to do with it with books like Sleeper, Criminal, and Fatale. Dark Horse Comics has dabbled with the sub-genre with Lobster Johnson, however they've really embraced it with Francesco Francavilla's The Black Beetle.

Picture a 1920s style Rocketeer-esque character but more like Batman. He deals with mobsters and other thugs but also has to confront supernatural creatures that terrorize the citizens of Colt City. The first volume, No Way Out, was great fun. Francavilla, who writes and draws the series, is set to return to the character in October with Necrologue, a new five issue mini-series.

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Necrologue picks up with our hero hunting down a murderer in Colt City, but as he gets deeper into the investigation, doubts begin to arise about the Black Beetle. Is he a hero or a “reckless vigilante”? Will we get a peek into the past of the character? I don't know. I guess I have to wait until October to find out.

James has a 2nd grade reading level and, as a result, only reads books with pictures. Horror is his 5th favorite genre right after romantic comedy and just before silent films. No one knows why he's here, but he won't leave.